News

Trichomoniasis Progress in US and Mexico

19 March 2015

ANALYSIS - Moves are being made to standardise trichomoniasis testing across the US and drastically improve Mexico's 60 per cent fertility rate.

Researchers working on the infertility issue in the Mexican herd are suggesting health, as well as a myriad of other factors including nutrition, could be to blame for a 50-60 per cent average calving rate.

A study of 400 bulls in Chihuahua came back with a trichonomiasis prevalence rate of 25 per cent, said Jeff Baxter, global senior product manager with Thermo Fisher Scientific.

"We had a pretty good idea that animal health was playing a part in the low calving rate," said Mr Baxter. "In Mexico it is round 50 to 60 per cent on average - it could be nutrition, mineral deficiency, but health has an opportunity to play."

North of the border, Mr Baxter said that all US states would be seeing "common ground" across three key points on the disease.

Age of animal at test - 18 month

Length of test - 60 days

Need for a one time pcr DNA-based test

"The US Animal Health Association has taken a step towards standardizing trich regulations and testing," Mr Baxter added. "There were lots of states looking at different types of testing or different age of animal."